A federal lawsuit filed by four women
who say the University of Connecticut mishandled reports of sexual abuse
on campus alleges that one attacker was a player on the school's
football team.

The women accuse UConn of failing to protect them and responded to their complaints with deliberate indifference or worse.

They are among seven women who recently asked for a federal Title IX investigation of the school.

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Stating their case: Four current and former UConn students who were victims of sexual assault have filed a federal lawsuit against the university, alleging that the university violated their rights.

Victims: Attorney Gloria Allred, center, walks with University of
Connecticut students Rose Richi, left, Erica Daniels, Carolyn Luby,
second from right, and Kylie Angell, right

Emotional: Attorney Gloria Allred, second from left, looks toward former University of Connecticut student Kylie Angell, center, as she reads a statement at a news conference about how UConn treated her rape case

The
lawsuit filed Friday alleges that one woman was told by school
officials to go through an administrative complaint process and that
reporting her rape to police would be a last resort.

University
spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz says the school will carefully assess the
lawsuit's allegations and does everything it can to ensure it complies
with the law.

Last week, a
rape victim broke down in tears at a news conferenc as she
recalled the moment a police officer told her 'women need to stop
spreading their legs like peanut butter' when she complained that her
attacker was allowed back on campus just two weeks after the assault.

Kylie Angell, a nurse who graduated from the University of Connecticut in May, said the school initially expelled her attacker, but
readmitted him two weeks later without informing her of that decision.

She found out when he approached her in the cafeteria and stroked her arm.

The students are represented by high-profile attorney Gloria who has filed the complaint to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights on their behalf.

'They
are simply tired of seeing women being raped and sexually assaulted at
the university while the administration chose deliberate indifference,'
Allred said.

Angell was one of four complainants who appeared with Allred at the news conference to go public with their stories.

She described going to campus police after her assailant accosted her in the dining hall.

Four current students and three recent graduates are asking for an investigation under the federal Title IX law, which protects students from sexual discrimination in any education program that receives federal aid.

Victim: Kylie Angell, left, cries as she describes the effect being on the same campus as her attacker has had on her life

UConn issued a statement saying that while the women's cases remain confidential, the school felt each was handled appropriately.

'The University of Connecticut takes allegations of this nature extremely seriously, as the health and well-being of our students is a top priority.

'Our response protocol for these and other alleged incidents of sexual assault is in line with or exceeds best practices.

'We always must be mindful of the rights of the accused and the accuser while upholding our commitment to protecting the safety of our campus community,' the statement read.

It said it would welcome any new information. It also said that in the interest of transparency, if would detail how each case was handled if the women agree to waive their rights to privacy.

'Our students should reasonably expect protection and due process,' the school said. 'They deserve the best response in the nation, and we're committed to ensuring that right.'

No criminal charges have been brought in any of the cases.

Senior Erica Daniels said she was drugged and raped by a co-worker on campus. She said she did not report her rape immediately, and was told by the school's Office of Community Standards that not enough information existed to take any action.

'I don't understand why my statement about what happened is not enough for a hearing,' she said. 'How many women are raped and witnesses are present?'

Junior Rose Richi said she initially didn't feel comfortable reporting her sexual assault because her attacker was a male athlete and there is an 'overwhelming privilege of athletes on this campus'.

She said when she did report the crime, the investigating officer told her he did not believe her.

Allred said the school is required to investigate, potentially hold hearings, listen to witnesses and notify both sides of their findings. She would not say if she plans to file lawsuits on the women's behalf, but said she is working with a Connecticut lawyer on their cases.

Traumatized: Kylie Engell broke down in tears as she described the moment she found out her attacker was allowed back on campus when he approached her in the cafeteria and stroked her arm

An officer told Angell when she complained: 'Women need to stop spreading their legs like peanut butter or rape is going to keep happening until the cows come home'

Scene: A complaint was filed to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights against the University of Connecticut, West Hartford, by seven female students

The civil rights complaint, if upheld, could lead to sanctions including the loss of federal funds.

Carolyn Luby, the lead complainant, said they want much more than that.

'Federal sanctions would be the tip of the iceberg of what we would want,' she said. 'We would want cultural change, policy change, administrative change.'

Luby said the school still has not responded to the death and rape threats she received after writing an open letter to President Susan Herbst in April about the culture on campus.

The letter, which in part criticized the school's new logo as menacing, was held up to ridicule on the Internet and on conservative talk radio.